Sisi calls upon judiciary to play greater role in fighting terrorism

‘Egypt has responsibility to end attempts to defame Islam’

Addressing the Fifth High Level Meeting of the Chief Justices of African Constitutional Courts in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the president said the work of the judiciary has acquired special importance in the light of traditional challenges to development, including terrorism.

The judiciary also acquires special importance, the president added, in the light of challenges with special nature, including those of the post-Covid-19 period.

The president said the presence of a coherent judicial strategy in Africa would help African states play an effective role in dealing with these challenges.

President Sisi underscored the importance of judicial institutions in the fight against terrorism and extremist ideology.

These institutions are required to create the necessary legal frameworks for dealing with these problems, taking into account the destructive effects of these problems on states and their resources and gains, President Sisi said.

The president briefed conference participants about Egypt’s counterterrorism strategy in the past years.

This strategy, he said, did not rest on a security, intellectual and religious approach only, but it also depended on construction, urbanisation, the enhancement of infrastructure along with improving economic and social conditions as counterterrorism tools, the president said.

He added that Egypt also maximised the role of the judiciary in the fight against terrorism.

Egypt, the president said, is ready to offer the necessary support for Arab states suffering from terrorism.

He said Egypt’s readiness to offer help in this regard stems from its moral and religious responsibility towards fellow African states.

The president added that this responsibility makes it incumbent upon Egypt to devote its capabilities to help fellow Africans at their difficult times.

Egypt also has a responsibility to put an end to attempts to defame the Islamic religion through terrorist acts, President Sisi said.

He added that these acts affect Islam negatively and spread wrong information about this great religion among peoples and youth, in particular. The president’s meeting with the chief justices of African constitutional courts also included an open dialogue on important issues on the African stage, including terrorism, a major threat to the stability of the countries of the continent, Presidency Spokesman, Ambassador Bassam Radi, said.

Conference participants praised the gathering being a platform tostrengthen co-operation and coordination among African constitutional courts, Radi added.

He quoted some of the conference participants as describing the gathering as a venue reflecting the special importance Africa is taking in Egypt’s policies.